Routing is the network process by which a call or other connection request proceeds (connects) from an origin to a destination. Concerns about routing lie at the heart of the architecture, design, and operation of any network. Current and future networks are rapidly evolving to carry a multitude of voice/ISDN services and packet data services over time division multiplexing (TDM), asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), and Internet protocol (IP). The long awaited data revolution is occurring, with the extremely rapid growth of data services such as frame relay, IP multimedia, and B-ISDN ATM services. Different routing methods have evolved for services supported by the TDM, ATM, and IP protocols. These protocols will continue to exist simultaneously and thus the need will continue to interwork in most networks. In other words, there has not been nor will there probably ever be a universal homogeneous network solution.
Among the various routing techniques used for ATM networks is the Private Network-Network Interface (PNNI) strategy adopted by the ATM Forum. The PNNI routing strategy provides interoperability among different vendor equipment and scaling to very large networks. Scaling is provided by a hierarchical peer group structure that allows the details of topology of a peer group to be flexibly hidden or revealed at various levels within the hierarchical structure. Peer group leaders represent the switches within a peer group for purposes of routing protocol exchanges at the next higher level. Border switches handle inter-level interactions at call setup. PNNI routing involves two components: a) a topology distribution protocol, and b) the path selection and crankback procedures. The topology distribution protocol floods information within a peer group. The peer group leader abstracts the information from within the peer group and floods the aggregated reachable address information. As the peer group leader learns information at the next higher level, it floods it to the lower level in the hierarchy, as appropriate. In this fashion, all switches learn the network reach and topology.
Traditionally, providers of telecommunications services have offered different grades or classes of service (COS) based on customer demand. To meet quality objectives for such different grades of service, telecommunications providers, such as AT&T, have employed Class-of-Service routing techniques in traditional circuit switched networks. U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,344, issued in the name of Gerald R. Ash et al., on Feb. 21, 1995, and assigned to AT&T (incorporated by reference herein) describes and claims such a Class-of-Service routing technique. Unfortunately, Class-of-Service routing does not exist with present day PNNI networks. Thus, there is a need for a PNNI Class-Of-Service routing technique.